This invention relates to the fields of computer systems and information management. More particularly, a method is provided for assessing the network identity capability of an organization or enterprise.
In many organizations, business managers are constantly challenged by the opportunities and threats of a changing business landscape. Their Information Technology (IT) peers are equally concerned with providing optimal IT solutions and establishing a technology infrastructure that enables the organization to remain agile.
The increasing use of the Internet and other computing and communication technologies (e.g., PDAs—Personal Digital Assistants, smart telephones) seems to promise expanded business opportunities and continued technology uncertainties for business managers. They need seamless, trusted and real-time interaction with employees, customers, and business partners. However, in many organizations, identity information for employees, customers, and partners is distributed across many incompatible applications and may be under the control of numerous internal and external groups. This often results in redundant entries, inconsistent data, and uneven security policies. In addition, the use of dedicated business processes and technology to manage different user and device dependencies prevents flexibility and increases operational costs.
Thus, what is needed is a method of combining or coupling identity data so that the data are no longer permanently tied to just one particular service or application that uses the data. Instead, identity data can be shared among multiple entities (e.g., people, processes, devices).